Door locking and latching device



April 16, 1968 M. M. SEKULICH DOOR LOCKING AND LATCHING DEVICE Filed Feb. 1, 1965 INVENT MAQK M. SEKU LIC H FIB-l United States Patent 3,378,290 DOOR LOCKING AND LATCHING DEVICE Mark M. Sekulich, 2442 Palm Drive, Long Beach, Calif. 90806 Filed Feb. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 429,544 Claims. (Cl. 292-40) The present invention relates generally to the building construction art and more particularly to a new and novel locking and latching device for use with a pair of swinging doors.

In the construction of buildings there are often employed a pair of horizontally swinging doors, the free ends of which doors may be locked against swinging so as to prohibit unauthorized entrance to the building. It is a major object of the present invention to provide a unique locking and latching device for use with a pair of swinging doors.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a locking and latching device of the aforedescribed nature which is economical of construction and may be readily installed so as to be available to a wide market.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a locking and latching device of the aforedescn'bed nature which is simple in design, rugged of construction and which will afford a long and trouble-free service life.

A more particular object of the present invention is to provide a locking and latching device for use with a pair of first and second swinging doors, said device having a recessed vertical track extending along the free edge of the first of said doors and vertically slidable supporting upper and lower bolts, such bolts being vertically slidable from a locking position wherein the upper end of the upper bolt extends above the top of the doors and the lower end of the lower bolt extends below the bottom of said doors and an unlocked position wherein the upper and lower ends of the upper and lower bolts, respectively, clear the upper and lower edges of said doors, with the proximate ends of the upper and lower bolts being vertically separated while in such locking position to define a keeperreceiving space for a lock carried by the free edge of the second door.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device of the aforedescribed nature that affords a Weathertight seal for the swinging doors.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a broken perspective view showing a preferred form of locking and latching device embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on line 2--2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on line 3--3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view in reduced scale taken along line 5--5 of FIGURE 3.

Referring to the drawings, the preferred form of latching and locking device L embodying the present invention is adapted for use with a pair of first and second swinging doors D1 and D2, respectively. The device D includes a vertical track, generally designated 10, which may be of extruded metallic construction. It will be understood, however, that other suitable materials may be utilized to form the track 10.

The track is afiixed to the free edge 12 of the first door D1 and extends along the height thereof. Track 10 includes a web 14 formed at its intermediate portion with 3,378,290 Patented Apr. 16, 1968 a recess 16. The web 14 is affixed to the free edge 12 of the door D1 by a plurality of screws 18 which extend through the mid-portion of the recess 16. The front of the web 14 is integral with the mid-portion of a curved cap 20 that extends at right angles to the web. As indicated particularly in FIGURES 2 and 3, one-half 20a of cap 20 abuts the front of the door D1 at 22. The opposite half 2012 of the cap extends beyond the free edge 12 of the front of the door D1 and is curved rearwardly similar to the first half 20a. Half 20b is formed with a rearwardlyfacing recess 24 that receives a weather-stripping 26. The rear edge 28 of this cap half is adapted to abut the front of the door D2 when the latter is in a closed position. At this time the weather-stripping 26 will serve to seal the door D2 relative to the other door D1.

Disposed within the recess 16 of the track 10 are a pair of upper and lower bolts 30 and 32, respectively. As indicated particularly in FIGURE 2, the outer edge 34 of the bolts 30 and 32 are substantially flush with the outer surface of the web 14. The opposite side of both locking bolts is formed with a vertical slot 36. Disposed within the intermediate portion of each of the slots 36 of the bolts 30 and 32 are one or more like bowed springs 38, the profile of such springs being clearly shown in FIGURE 5. The top and bottom of the springs 38 are affixed to the track 10 within the recess 16 thereof. The springs 38 are flexed sufiiciently out of their relaxed position to yieldingly restrain the bolts 30 and 32 against vertical movement within the recess 16 of track 10.

The proximate ends of the bolts 30 and 32 are formed with handle means 46 and 48 of like construction. These handles 46 and 48 are positioned within complementary pockets 50 and 52, respectively, formed in the lower end of upper bolt 30 and the upper end of lower bolt 32, as indicated particularly in FIGURE 4. The upper portion of the upper handle 46 is pivotally secured to the upper bolt 30 by means of a horizontal pivot pin 54. A like pivot pin 56 pivotally secures the lower handle 48 to the upper portion of the lower bolt 32. The outer surfaces of the handles 46 and 48 are normally substantially flush with the free edge 12 of the door D1.

The door D2 is provided with a conventional door lock 57 only the reotractable keeper 57a of which is shown in the drawings. The exact construction of this lock .is not important to the present invention. Many such locks are commercially available and are familiar to those skilled in the a-rt.

In the operation of the aforedescribed locking and latching device L, the handles 45 and 48 may be pivoted to the position of handle 48 shown in dotted outline in FIG- URE 5 so as to be manually grasped. The handles 46 and 43 may then be employed to raise the upper bolt 30 until the upper end thereof extends above the top of the first door D1 and into the cavity 58 of a conventional catch 60 mounted within the upper threshold. 62 of the doors D1 and D2, as indicated particularly at the upper portion of FIGURE 5. In a similar fashion, the lower handle 48 may be employed to depress the lower bolt 32 until it extends below the bottom of the door D1 and into the cavity of a catch- (not shown) similar to the catch 60. When the upper and lower bolts 30 and 32 have been extended into such locking position their proximate ends will be vertically spaced apart so as to define a space 64 that receives the retractable keeper 57a of the door lock 57 of door D2. With the keeper 57a inserted within space 64 the door D2 will be securely locked in its closed position shown in solid outline in FIGURE 3. To open door D2 the keeper 57a is merely retracted out of space 64. To open door D1 the bolts 30 and 32 are retracted downwardly and upwardly, respectively, to retract them from within the catches 60.

Various modifications and changes may be made with respect to the foregoing detailed description without departing from the spirit of the present invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A locking and latching device for use with a pair of first and second swinging doors, the free end of said second door being provided with a lock having a retractable keeper, comprising:

a recessed vertical track extending along the free edge of the first of said doors;

an upper bolt vertically slidably disposed within the recess of said track;

a lower bolt vertically slidably disposed within the recess of said track below the lower end of said upper bolt, the outer edges of said bolts being flush with said free end of said first door;

resilient means interposed between said bolts and said track yieldingly restraining said bolts against vertical movement in said track in either direction;

and handle means on said bolts, accessible from the edge of said first door, and manually operable to urge said bolts to a locking position to latch said first door independently of said second door wherein the upper end of said upper bolt extends above the top of said first door and the lower end of said lower bolt extends below the bottom of said first door with the adjacent ends of said upper bolt and said lower bolt defining a keeper-receiving space whereby the keeper of said lock of said second is receivable in said keeper-receiving space for engagement with both said adjacent ends to constrain both said bolts against movement toward one another, and said bolts being movable by said handle means from said locking position to an unlocked position wherein the upper end of said upper bolt is retracted downwardly to clear the top of said first door and wherein the lower end of said lower bolt is retracted upwardly to clear the bottom of said first door.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said track includes a cap that extends beyond the free edge of said first door to overlie the face of said second door adjacent its free end.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said cap is provided With Weatherstripping.

4. A locking and latching device for use with a pair of first and second swinging doors the free end of said second door being provided with a lock having a retractable keeper, comprising:

a vertical track extending along the free edge of said first door, said track including a web abutting said free end and formed at its intermediate portion with a recess, and the front of said web having a cap ex- .4 tending at right angles to said web beyond the free edge of said first door;

an upper bolt vertically slidably disposed within the recess of said track;

a lower bolt vertically slidably disposed within the recess of said track below the lower end of said upper bolt, the outer edges of said bolts being flush with said free end of said first door;

said bolts being formed with a vertical slot;

spring means in said slots biasing said bolts transversely against said track to restrain vertical movement of said bolts therein in either direction;

and handle means on the proximate ends of said bolts accessible from the edge of said first door that are manually operable to urge said bolts to a locking position to latch said first door independently of said second door wherein the upper end of said upper bolt extends above the top of said first door and the lower end of said lower bolt extends below the bottom of said first door with the adjacent ends of said upper bolt and said lower bolt defining a keeper- :receiving space whereby the keeper of said lock of said second door is receivable in said keeper-receiving space for engagement with both said ends to constrain both said bolts against movement toward one another, and said bolts being movable by said handle means from said locking position to an unlocked position wherein the upper end of said upper bolt is retracted downwardly to clear the top of said first door and wherein the lower end of said lower bolt is retracted upwardly to clear the bottom of said first door.

5. A device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said cap is provided with Weatherstripping engageable by the front of the free end of said second door.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 932,330 8/ 1909 Rotchford 292--33 FOREIGN PATENTS 249 l/ 1884 Great Britain. 2,682 10/ 1864 Great Britain. 54,984 12/ 1910 Germany.

244,885 2/ 1926 Italy. 539,010 6/ 1955 Belgium. 470,525 4/ 1952 Italy.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD C. ALLEN, Examiner.

JOHN R. MOSES Assistant Examiner. 

1. A LOCKING AND LATCHING DEVICE FOR USE WITH A PAIR OF FIRST AND SECOND SWINGING DOORS, THE FREE END OF SAID SECOND DOOR BEING PROVIDED WITH A LOCK HAVING A RETRACTABLE KEEPER, COMPRISING: A RECESSED VERTICAL TRACK EXTENDING ALONG THE FREE EDGE OF THE FIRST OF SAID DOORS; AN UPPER BOLT VERTICALLY SLIDABLY DISPOSED WITHIN THE RECESS OF SAID TRACK; A LOWER BOLT VERTICALLY SLIDABLY DISPOSED WITHIN THE RECESS OF SAID TRACK BELOW THE LOWER END OF SAID UPPER BOLT, THE OUTER EDGES OF SAID BOLTS BEING FLUSH WITH SAID FREE END OF SAID FIRST DOOR; RESILIENT MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID BOLTS AND SAID TRACK YIELDINGLY RESTRAINING SAID BOLTS AGAINST VERTICAL MOVEMENT IN SAID TRACK IN EITHER DIRECTION; 